here for you

this is so old but i love it too much not to post it

Beginnings and Endings

"Your son has returned after great deeds."

Denethor had always appreciated irony. It suited his quiet understated, and sometimes a bit mean, yes ,he was aware of that sense of humor. And while he deeply hated himself for feeling that way, he still couldn't help noticing the tragic and bitter irony that accompanied the moment.

So did Imrahil he was sure.

With expressionless face he watched as his brother in law carried his son to him, and placed his helpless body in his arms.

For the second time.

Beginnings and endings merging together.

For it too had been Imrahil who had handed him Faramir for the first time. Finduilas' labour had again been excurciatinlgy long. Everyone said that the second child usually came more swiftly but the babe certainly followed their big brother's example and did not make things easy. Denethor, at that time Steward already in all but name because his father had become increasingly frail, had been unable to spare the time to wait near his wife's bedroom and be as close as possible during the birth. So he and Imrahil had agreed to take turns, that one of them would always be close at hand to comofort her, welcome the child or ...well neither of them dared to even think that.

Denethor had been called away to deceide a pressing matter at court when the baby finally was born. Word was sent at once and Denethor hurried back to see his wife and child, when he arrived, Finduilas was just getting some help washing up, and so it was Imrahil who greeted him with a tired smile, relief written plain on his face, as he bowed before Denethor and handed him a small bundle.

"Your son has arrived after great travail."

-and added grinning "and trust me you will find there is NOTHING wrong with his lungs".

Denethor had eagerly taken the little boy from his uncle's arms and then for the first time beheld his second son, little Faramir, who looked at him with wide open eyes and a curious gaze.

Now his son would never open his eyes again. Then tiny hands had closed around his finger, holding on tight with a strength that never failed to amaze him. Now his son's had lay limply in his own.

Denethor looked out of the window where the battle was raging, feeling a curious disinterst towards the dramativ events unfolding outside. The world was ending. So be it. But he would not be slaughtered for sport but meet an end of his own making.

He called for the guards and as they carried the stretcher with his dying son out of the house he noticed one last irony, as they passed a now disused room which had once been the nursery and Faramir's first room.

The day of Faramir's birth Boromir had gone missing, like he was missing now. They had all searched for quite a while till finally the nurse found him on the floor of the new, yet empty nursery which had been prepared for the expected baby. Boromir, hearing that the baby was arriving any minute now had come there, waiting for his brother( the notion that it might be a sister angrily dismissed) to arrive and determined to be the first to meet him, had snuck into the nursery and spend many hours there peering into the cradle, if the baby had yet come.

As usual, Boromir had hurried ahead and then waited for Faramir to follow suit and join him.

Looking at Faramir's grey and haggard face Denthor knew Faramir was almost there already and felt reassured that they all would soon be reuinted.

And everything would be just the way it once began

Of diplomacy and toy wagons

If Denethor had learned one thing in his time as soldier and politician it was that solving one problem only meant you had a little more space to deal with the next one.

A knowledge that also came handy as a father he found.

Boromir had been much disappointed when his little brother had been born, stressing angrily that he had expressively asked for a BIG brother, one who could take him riding like his friend's Bergil's brother did. But this one? This brother couldn't do ANYTHING and was much to small anyway! He had no use for such a brother and asked if they could exchange him.

No amount of explanation would soothe him.

At first.

But then after six weeks Boromir surprisingly warmed up to his little brother. He started making faces for the baby trying to make him laugh, rocking the cradle and dutifully showed him every toy he picked up before playing with it, carefully explaining what he was about to do and sometimes even placing it in the baby's cradle. He frequently asked when Faramir would be big enough to join him playing and was not happy with the answers he received voicing his concerns that the poor baby must be awfully bored being kept in bed most of the day!

Considering that it should not have been surprised him that one day the quiet of his office was disturbed by a commotion in the nursery. rushing inside he found the frantic nurse, who between sobs explained that the baby was gone.

when boromir died for merry and pippin and then pippin saves faramir's life. when pippin says i offer you my service in payment for this debt. when he offers it to denethor but really it's to gondor and to boromir and to the man that denethor once was. when boromir saving pippin's life directly means that pippin saves faramir's life and literally...to boromir, that would've been enough, to have his brother live. for gondor that is enough, to have their captain returned to them.

I think it’s very important that Faramir is the one who breaks the generational curse of his family. I also think it’s something that all of the later house of Húrin are aware of-being born in this family is a poisoned chalice. Denethor didn’t marry until he was 46, Boromir was unwed at 41, Faramir was 36 and only married when the war was over. There’s cultural factors here, but I think there’s a reluctance to have children. Putting it off until they absolutely have to.

Ecthelion’s disfavour of Denethor and his lack of understanding of Denethor’s true nature, of his strange Númenorian son, leaves its scars on Denethor. Worse still are those left by Sauron, and the existential threat that hangs over their heads. They must have the strength to hold off the enemy, or all Gondor will perish.

Denethor in turn fashions his sons into weapons to fight the enemy. They never feel the isolation Denethor felt, but in its place is an oppressive sense of desperation. Duty to Gondor is above all. Do or all shall die. There is no time here for peace or gentleness.

Faramir escapes this in the end, he finds peace once the war is over. For his own sake, for his children’s, and for his brother and father who never got that chance.

- the last words Frodo ever hears Boromir say

and you know what re al l y kills me? thinking about Frodo once it’s all said and done: he’s hearing people laud him, sing his praises, while he’s grappling with the fact he’d succumbed to the ring, just wishing there was someone who really understood, who could really be confided in. And the answer of course is Boromir. It’s Boromir! Of course he would understand! And Frodo would understand Boromir! And they would help! each other! SO! FREAKING! MUCH! But he’s not there. He’ll never be there. They’ll never talk. And I just ,,, I j u s t

For your consideration:

Boromir would have been so proud of Rohan for showing up to help Minas Tirith.

Boromir, who spends the whole first book speaking out about his friends and allies the Rohirrim.

Boromir, who defies the rumor that the men of Rohan now pay a tribute of horses to Sauron.

Boromir, who advocates that they travel through the gap of Rohan because of the kindness he experienced there on his way to Rivendell, when even Aragorn suspects the Rohirrim of treachery.

Imagine for a moment how proud he would have been to see the forces of Rohan cresting that hill, to hear their horns blowing as they mounted the charge to save Minas Tirith.  A battle which, honestly, Theoden knew he might not return from.

Boromir would have been honored and proud to know that Theoden held his oaths to Gondor in such high regard.  That he was worried to think that Denethor might not expect his army to come to the aid of Gondor 

please just think about this for a moment and be sad and excited with me

it was only a question of time since i got my hands on this gay weapons generator…

do you ever think about how in the LOTR films Boromir’s defining quality is that he’s this protective older brother to everyone, from his little brother Faramir to the little hobbits…..and that being Faramir’s older brother meant trying to be a parental figure at the same time, trying to compensate for their missing mother and abusive father, trying to be everything, so that word “brother” has this special deeper meaning for Boromir

and his last words to Aragorn were “I would have followed you my brother, my captain, my king”

It was the first time he could look up to somebody rather than having to live up to being the one looked up to. Boromir his entire life was more or less expected to perform the role Aragorn is destined to fill; and he falters, because he was never meant to be there. Which is why he’s angry at Aragorn for dismissing that struggle, the struggle of men, at first.

So when Aragorn finally acknowledges it. Says he won’t let the white city fall. And takes up the mantle; Boromir is happy. Even though he’s dying, and he’s lost almost all hope. And he lets Aragorn know that he would have supported him, he would have gladly fought for him, anyone, taking up this burden.

“I would have followed you.”

“BO! The sun woke up!”

Boromir grinned sleepily. “Morning, Fare.”

Confident though he is in many things, Boromir also has a lot of insecurities. He worries that he might not be good enough. He fears to disappoint his father. He's terrified of letting down the people of Gondor, of failing them as protector and steward-prince. He desperately wants Faramir to always be proud him - and the possibility that he might not makes Boromir become overwhelmed with anxiety.

Such insecurities don't go away so easily.